Mcpherson County

McPherson County, Kansas – key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population

• Total population: 30,223 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: 40.8 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: 24.1%
• 65 and over: 19.6%

Gender

• Female: 50.3%
• Male: 49.7%

Race and ethnicity (share of total population)

• White alone: 92.4%
• Black or African American alone: 1.1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.7%
• Asian alone: 0.8%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1%
• Two or more races: 4.9%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 7.4%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 86.6%

Households

• Total households: 12,045 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Average household size: 2.45
• Family households: 65.9%
• Married-couple households: 54.3%
• Households with children under 18: 29.2%
• Nonfamily households: 34.1%
• Householders living alone: 28.9% (65+ living alone: 12.6%)

Insights

• Older age profile than the U.S. overall, with nearly one in five residents 65+.
• Population is predominantly White; Hispanic/Latino community accounts for about 7–8% and has been gradually increasing.
• Household structure is family-oriented (two-thirds family households), but roughly one-third are nonfamily/individual households.

McPherson County, KS snapshot (modeled from 2023 ACS and recent Pew benchmarks)

• Population ≈30,100 over ≈900 sq mi (≈33 people/sq mi). ≈12,200 households; ≈87% have a broadband subscription (≈10,600 households). ≈93% have a computer/device.
• Estimated email users (age 13+): ≈23,100 (≈77% of total population).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ≈1,700 (≈7%)
  • 18–34: ≈5,800 (≈25%)
  • 35–64: ≈11,000 (≈48%)
  • 65+: ≈4,500 (≈20%)
• Gender split among email users: ≈50.5% female, 49.5% male (mirrors county demographics).
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband adoption is high and rising, led by cable/fiber in cities (McPherson, Lindsborg, Moundridge) and fixed wireless/mobile in rural areas.
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ≈12%, indicating a modest reliance on mobile data for email and online services.
  • FCC mapping indicates near‑universal access to baseline broadband (25/3 Mbps) countywide, with gigabit options concentrated in town centers; performance and choice diminish toward rural edges.

Insights: Email is effectively universal among online adults; the largest share of users is 35–64. Seniors show strong but comparatively lower adoption, reflecting opportunity for outreach where fixed broadband or device access is limited.

Mobile phone usage in McPherson County, Kansas — summary and county-vs-state contrasts

Core counts (population base and user estimates)

• Population baseline: 30,223 (2020 Census); land area ≈898 sq mi; density ≈33.6 people/sq mi (slightly below the Kansas average ~35.7).
• Estimated mobile phone users (any cellphone, adults plus teens): ≈24,200 users, about 80% of all residents.
• Estimated smartphone users (adults plus teens): ≈20,700 users, about 68–69% of all residents.
  • Adult smartphone penetration (share of 18+ with a smartphone): ≈83%.
  • Adult “any cellphone” penetration: ≈97%.

Demographic breakdown of smartphone users (estimated, scaled to county’s age mix using national adoption by age)

• 18–29: ≈3,480 users (≈96% adoption within this age band)
• 30–49: ≈6,890 users (≈95%)
• 50–64: ≈4,770 users (≈83%)
• 65+: ≈3,870 users (≈61%)
• Youth 12–17: ≈1,730 users (≈88%) Notes:
• McPherson County skews older than Kansas overall (roughly 21% of residents are 65+ vs ~16% statewide), pulling down overall smartphone penetration compared with the state average even though adoption among working-age adults is high.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14 for public safety), T-Mobile, and Verizon all provide LTE and 5G. UScellular does not have a significant retail footprint in this part of Kansas.
• 5G footprint:
  • Mid-band 5G (e.g., T-Mobile n41) covers the I-135 corridor and the City of McPherson, delivering substantially higher capacity and typical peak downloads in the hundreds of Mbps where signal is strong.
  • Low-band 5G and 4G LTE provide broad-area coverage into the rural townships; speeds are more variable outside towns and off the interstate.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Fiber backhaul is in place along the I-135/US‑81 spine and into anchors (industrial sites in McPherson, healthcare, education). This underpins stronger in-town 5G performance and capacity.
  • Smaller towns (Lindsborg, Moundridge, Inman, Canton, Marquette) have macro coverage; capacity is strongest near town centers and along state highways (US‑56, K‑61/K‑153).
• Coverage pattern:
  • “Excellent” handheld coverage along interstate and in town centers; “good to fair” coverage in agricultural sections farther from highways, with occasional dead zones in low-lying or sparsely populated areas.

How McPherson County differs from the Kansas statewide picture

• Age-driven adoption gap:
  • Because the county has a higher 65+ share (+4–5 percentage points vs Kansas), its adult smartphone penetration (83%) runs a few points lower than the statewide adult rate benchmarked from national/state surveys (~85–90%).
• Urbanization and density:
  • McPherson County’s population is more dispersed (≈33.6/sq mi) than the Kansas average, and a smaller share lives in large urbanized areas. This yields:
    • More reliance on low-band 5G/LTE outside towns (Kansas overall has more residents in metro corridors with mid-band 5G).
    • Slightly wider gaps in indoor coverage at the rural fringe compared with the statewide experience.
• Corridor advantage:
  • The I-135 corridor gives the county an in‑county performance edge relative to many rural Kansas counties away from interstates: mid-band 5G capacity is readily accessible in McPherson city and along the highway, lifting average mobile speeds in those zones.
• User mix and daytime demand:
  • Industrial and education anchors (e.g., manufacturing, the CHS refinery, and local colleges) concentrate daytime users in specific cells, creating higher-capacity builds and stronger enterprise/public-safety coverage than is typical for similarly sized rural counties.

Key takeaways

• About 24,000 residents use a mobile phone in McPherson County, including roughly 20,700 smartphone users.
• Adoption among working-age adults is on par with statewide and national norms; overall penetration is pulled down by a larger senior share.
• The county combines interstate-grade 5G capacity in town and along I‑135 with broader low-band 5G/LTE coverage into rural areas; this split is more pronounced than in Kansas’s metro counties but stronger than in many rural counties lacking an interstate corridor.

Sources and method (for transparency)

• Population and land area: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census.
• Adoption rates applied by age: Pew Research Center (smartphone ownership by age cohorts) and CDC/NCHS (near-universal adult cellphone ownership), scaled to McPherson County’s age structure to produce user counts.
• Network footprint insights: FCC filings, carrier public coverage maps, and the observed statewide build patterns for AT&T FirstNet, T‑Mobile n41, and Verizon 5G across the I‑135 corridor.

Social media use in McPherson County, Kansas (2025 snapshot)

Core user stats

• Population: ≈30,200; adults 18+ ≈23,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023)
• Households with broadband: ≈86–88% (ACS 2019–2023, Computer & Internet Use)
• Device access (benchmark for similar U.S. counties): ~85% of adults own a smartphone; >90% have internet access via home broadband and/or mobile (Pew Research Center 2024; ACS)

Most‑used platforms (estimated share of adults in the county; counts rounded)

• YouTube: 80% (18,400 adults)
• Facebook: 72% (16,600)
• Instagram: 40% (9,200)
• Pinterest: 36% (8,300)
• TikTok: 28% (6,400)
• Snapchat: 24% (5,500)
• LinkedIn: 20% (4,600)
• X (Twitter): 18% (4,100)
• Nextdoor: 10% (2,300)

How to read these: Percentages are anchored to Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult usage rates and adjusted modestly for an older, more rural county profile (which typically lifts Facebook/Pinterest a few points and trims Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat a few points). Platform audiences overlap and are not mutually exclusive.

Age-group profile (reach and behavior)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy daily video and chat; dominant on YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok; Instagram secondary; Facebook mainly for school groups, events, and family.
• 18–29: YouTube and Instagram are primary; TikTok and Snapchat widely used; Facebook used for community ties and Marketplace.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram and Pinterest meaningful; TikTok use present but selective; messaging via Messenger/GroupMe common for teams and schools.
• 50–64: Facebook is the hub (Groups, local pages, Marketplace); YouTube for how‑tos, local sports, weather; Pinterest strong among women; limited TikTok/Snapchat.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest moderate; minimal use of other platforms.

Gender breakdown (directional patterns observed nationally, reflected locally)

• Women: Over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; strong participation in local Groups, school/church pages, recipes/crafts, and Marketplace.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube; comparatively higher presence on X/Reddit; strong interest in sports, DIY/mechanics, ag and equipment content on YouTube and Facebook Groups.

Behavioral trends specific to McPherson County

• Facebook as the community backbone: City/county announcements, school athletics, churches, fairs, volunteer drives, and buy/sell activity run through Pages, Groups, and Marketplace. Local news and weather posts draw fast engagement.
• Short-form video growth: Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok are increasingly used by younger adults and local businesses for quick updates, behind‑the‑scenes, and promotions.
• Events and commerce: Facebook Events drive attendance for school, church, and civic activities; Marketplace is the default for household goods, vehicles, and farm/yard equipment.
• Messaging ecosystems: Messenger and GroupMe coordinate youth sports, classrooms, and community groups; Snapchat is the default peer channel for teens/young adults.
• Time-of-day patterns: Engagement spikes in early morning (commute/school prep), lunch, and evenings (post‑work/school), with weekend peaks around local sports and church/community events.

Sources and methodology

• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 (population and broadband adoption)
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (national platform reach by adults)
• DataReportal: Digital 2024 (U.S.) for device and social usage context
• Figures above apply national benchmarks to McPherson County’s demographic profile to produce county-level estimates suitable for planning and targeting.